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Start of Oregon-Oklahoma State Delayed
Lightning in the area forced players off the field as officials waited to resume warmups under NCAA safety rules.
Lightning strikes within an 8-mile radius of Boone Pickens Stadium delayed Saturday's non-conference matchup between the Oregon Ducks and Oklahoma State Cowboys in Stillwater, Oklahoma, pushing the originally scheduled 9 a.m. PT kickoff back roughly 90 minutes.
This game concludes a home-and-home series following Oregon's dominant 69-3 win last season. Oregon enters after a 34-27 victory against Boise State, while Oklahoma State seeks to rebound from a 24-10 loss to Tulsa.
NCAA policy mandates suspending play when lightning is detected within an 8-mile radius of the stadium. Teams cannot return to the field until 30 minutes pass without another strike, resetting the clock with each new lightning occurrence.
Officials targeted a 10:30 a.m. PT start time as ESPN sideline reporter Taylor McGregor provided updates on the delay. Teams resumed warm-ups after the weather system passed through the Stillwater area.
Beyond the weather delay, players face additional challenges: heat index values are projected as high as 106 degrees in Stillwater, and AccuWeather forecasts indicate potential for more thunderstorms later in the afternoon.